Cylindrical blood heater/oxygenator

Abstract

A combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device is provided. The device includes a generally cylindrical housing having first and second compartments with hollow heat exchange tubes and hollow gas exchange tubes disposed therein, a blood inlet, a blood outlet, a heat exchanges medium inlet, a heat exchange medium outlet, an oxygenating fluid inlet and an oxygenating fluid outlet. The housing has a central axis with the second compartment being concentric thereto. The blood flow passage is defined by blood entering the device generally axially through a path extending along the central axis of the housing and flows generally radially through the second, oxygenating compartment.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device comprising: a housing including structure defining first and second compartments, a blood inlet, a blood outlet, a heat exchange medium inlet, a heat exchange medium outlet, an oxygenating fluid inlet and an oxygenating fluid outlet, said housing having a central axis, said second compartment being concentric to said axis;   structure defining a flow passage for blood through said housing from said blood inlet to said blood outlet;   structure defining a flow passage for heat exchange medium from said heat exchange medium inlet to said heat exchange medium outlet;   structure defining a flow passage for oxygenating fluid from said oxygenating fluid inlet to said oxygenating fluid outlet;   a plurality of hollow gas exchange tubes disposed in said second compartment;   said blood flow passage comprising a heat exchange path through said first compartment, said blood flow passage further comprising a central path extending along at least a portion of said central axis of said housing, said blood flow passage further comprising an oxygenating path extending generally radially through said second compartment, around said gas exchange tubes, said central path being upstream of said oxygenating path, whereby blood flows axially along at least a portion of the central axis of said housing and then generally radially through said second compartment.   
     
     
       2. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 1, wherein said blood outlet has a central fluid flow axis disposed in a plane substantially transverse to said central axis of said housing. 
     
     
       3. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 1, wherein said oxygenating fluid inlet and oxygenating fluid outlet respectively comprise a gas inlet and a gas outlet. 
     
     
       4. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 1, wherein said heat exchange path extends generally radially through said first compartment. 
     
     
       5. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 1, wherein said central path is upstream of said heat exchange path. 
     
     
       6. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 1, wherein said heat exchange path is upstream of said oxygenating path. 
     
     
       7. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 1, wherein said first and second compartments are concentric. 
     
     
       8. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 1 wherein said plurality of hollow gas exchange tubes disposed in said second compartment are comprised of hollow gas exchange tubes generally longitudinally disposed within said .[.first.]. .Iadd.second .Iaddend.compartment. 
     
     
       9. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 1 wherein said plurality of hollow gas exchange tubes disposed in said second compartment are comprised of hollow gas exchange tubes that are spirally wound in concentric layers extending generally longitudinally. 
     
     
       10. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 1 wherein said first compartment is upstream of said second compartment. 
     
     
       11. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 1 wherein said structure defining a flow passage for heat exchange medium from said heat exchange medium inlet to said heat exchange medium outlet includes a plurality of hollow heat exchange tubes disposed in said first compartment. 
     
     
       12. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 11, wherein said heat exchange path is defined around said heat exchange tubes and said heat exchange medium flows through said heat exchange tubes. 
     
     
       13. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 11, wherein said blood flow passage extends axially of said first compartment, via said central path, and then radially through said first compartment, around said heat exchange tubes, via said heat exchange path, and then radially through said second compartment, around said gas exchange tubes, via said oxygenating path. 
     
     
       14. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 11 wherein said plurality of hollow heat exchange tubes disposed in said first compartment are comprised of heat exchange tubes generally longitudinally disposed within said first compartment. 
     
     
       15. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 1, wherein said blood flow passage extends axially of said first compartment, via said central path, and then radially through said first compartment, via said heat exchange path, and then radially through said second compartment, via said oxygenating path. .Iadd.16. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 1, wherein said housing is constructed and arranged and said flow passage for blood is defined such that blood flows vertically upwardly along at least a portion of the central path. .Iaddend..Iadd.17. A combination heat exchange and oxygenator device comprising: a housing including first and second compartments, a blood inlet, a blood outlet, a heat exchange medium inlet, a heat exchange medium outlet, an oxygenating fluid inlet, an oxygenating fluid outlet, said housing having a central axis, said second compartment being concentric to said axis, wherein the first and second compartments are concentric along at least a substantial portion of their length;   a flow passage for blood through said housing from said blood inlet to said blood outlet;   a flow passage for heat exchange medium from said heat exchange medium inlet to said heat exchange medium outlet;   a flow passage for oxygenating fluid from said oxygenating fluid inlet to said oxygenating fluid outlet;   a plurality of hollow gas exchange tubes disposed in said second compartment;   said blood flow passage comprising a heat exchange path through said first compartment and an oxygenating path extending generally radially through said second compartment, around said gas exchange tubes, at least a portion of said blood flow passage including a generally central path generally parallel to said central axis of said housing, said central path being upstream of said oxygenating path, whereby blood in said central path flows in a direction generally parallel to the central axis of the housing and then generally radially through said second compartment.   
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.18.  The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 17, wherein said central path is upstream of said heat exchange path. .Iaddend..Iadd.19. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 17, comprising a tubular wall member defining said central path. .Iaddend..Iadd.20. The combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device of claim 19, wherein said tubular wall member is porous. 
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.21.  A blood heater and oxygenating device for heating and then oxygenating a patient's blood, and which is designed to reduce priming volume required by the device, comprising: a housing including first and second compartments internal to the housing, a blood inlet, a blood outlet, a heat exchange medium inlet, a heat exchange medium outlet, an oxygenating fluid inlet and an oxygenating fluid outlet, said housing having a central axis, said second compartment being concentric to said axis and including a plurality of hollow gas exchange tubes contained therein;   said housing including a blood flow passage entirely internal to said housing and extending from said blood inlet to said blood outlet thereof;   a heat exchange medium flow passage internal to said housing, connected to and extending between said heat exchange medium inlet and said heat exchange medium outlet, whereby heat exchange medium may be introduced into said heat exchange medium flow passage through the heat exchange medium inlet and circulated out of said heat exchange medium flow passage through said heat exchange medium outlet;   an oxygenating fluid flow passage internal to said housing, connected to and extending between said oxygenation fluid inlet and said oxygenating fluid outlet, whereby an oxygenating fluid may be introduced into said hollow tubes through said oxygenating fluid inlet, and circulated out of and away from said hollow tubes through said oxygenating fluid outlet;   said blood inlet connected to said first compartment so that the blood diffuses directly from said blood inlet into said first compartment without significant collection of the blood between said blood inlet and said first compartment, and the blood being heated as it passes through said first compartment; and   said blood flow passage comprising a heat exchange path through said first compartment, said blood flow passage further comprising a central path extending along at least a portion of said central axis of said housing, said blood flow passage further comprising an oxygenating path extending generally radially through said second compartment, and around said hollow gas exchange tubes, and said central path being upstream of said oxygenating path, whereby blood flows axially along at least a portion of the central axis of said housing and then generally radially through said   
     
     
        second compartment. .Iaddend..Iadd.22.  The device of claim 21, wherein said blood outlet has a central fluid flow axis disposed in a plane substantially transverse to said central axis of said housing. .Iaddend..Iadd.23. The device of claim 21, wherein said oxygenating fluid inlet and oxygenating fluid outlet respectively comprise a gas inlet and a gas outlet. .Iaddend..Iadd.24. The device of claim 21, wherein said first and second compartments are cylindrical. .Iaddend..Iadd.25. The device of claim 21 wherein said plurality of hollow gas exchange tubes disposed in said second compartment are comprised of hollow gas exchange tubes that are spirally wound around said central axis. .Iaddend..Iadd.26. The device of claims 21 or 24 wherein said first compartment is upstream of said second compartment. .Iaddend..Iadd.27. The device of claim 21 wherein said housing is constructed and arranged and said flow passage for blood is defined such that blood flows in a vertically upward direction along at 
     
     
        least a portion of said central path. .Iaddend..Iadd.28.  A blood heater and oxygenating device for heating and then oxygenating a patient's blood, and which is designed to reduce priming volume required by the device, comprising: a housing including first and second compartments internal to the housing, a blood inlet, a blood outlet, a heat exchange medium inlet, a heat exchange medium outlet, an oxygenating fluid inlet and an oxygenating fluid outlet, said housing having a central axis, said second compartment being concentric to said axis and including a plurality of hollow gas exchange tubes contained therein;   said housing including a blood flow passage entirely internal to said housing and extending from said blood inlet to said blood outlet thereof;   a heat exchange medium flow passage internal to said housing, connected to and extending between said heat exchange medium inlet and said heat exchange medium outlet, whereby heat exchange medium may be introduced into said heat exchange medium flow passage through the heat exchange medium inlet and circulated out of said heat exchange medium flow passage through said heat exchange medium outlet;   an oxygenating fluid flow passage internal to said housing, connected to and extending between said oxygenation fluid inlet and said oxygenating fluid outlet, whereby an oxygenating fluid may be introduced into said hollow tubes through said oxygenating fluid inlet, and circulated out of and away from said hollow tubes through said oxygenating fluid outlet;   said blood inlet connected to a chamber which is porous throughout so that the blood diffuses directly into said first compartment without significant collection of the blood in said chamber, and the blood being heated as it passes through said first compartment; and   said blood flow passage comprising a heat exchange path through said first compartment, said blood flow passage further comprising a central path extending along at least a portion of said central axis of said housing, said blood flow passage further comprising an oxygenating path extending generally radially through said second compartment, and around said hollow gas exchange tubes, and said central path being upstream of said oxygenating path, whereby blood flows axially along at least a portion of the central axis of said housing and then generally radially through said second compartment. .Iaddend..Iadd.29. The device of claim 28, wherein said blood outlet has a central fluid flow axis disposed in a plane substantially transverse to said central axis of said housing. .Iaddend..Iadd.30. The device of claim 28, wherein said oxygenating fluid inlet and oxygenating fluid outlet respectively comprise a gas inlet and a gas outlet. .Iaddend..Iadd.31. The device of claim 28, wherein said first and second compartments are cylindrical. .Iaddend..Iadd.32. The device of claim 28 wherein said plurality of hollow gas exchange tubes disposed in said second compartment are comprised of hollow gas exchange tubes that are spirally wound around said central axis. .Iaddend..Iadd.33. The device of claims 28 or 31 wherein said first compartment is upstream of said second compartment. .Iaddend..Iadd.34. The device of claim 28 wherein said housing is constructed and arranged and said flow passage for blood is defined such that blood flows in a vertically upward direction along at   
     
     
        least a portion of said central path. .Iaddend..Iadd.35.  A blood heater and oxygenating device for heating and then oxygenating a patient's blood, and which is designed to reduce priming volume required by the device, comprising: a housing including first and second compartments internal to the housing, a blood inlet, a blood outlet, a heat exchange medium inlet, a heat exchange medium outlet, an oxygenating fluid inlet and an oxygenating fluid outlet, said housing having a central axis, said second compartment being concentric to said axis and including a plurality of hollow gas exchange tubes contained therein;   said housing including a blood flow passage entirely internal to said housing and extending from said blood inlet to said blood outlet thereof;   a heat exchange medium flow passage internal to said housing, connected to and extending between said heat exchange medium inlet and said heat exchange medium outlet, whereby heat exchange medium may be introduced into said heat exchange medium flow passage through the heat exchange medium inlet and circulated out of said heat exchange medium flow passage through said heat exchange medium outlet;   an oxygenating fluid flow passage internal to said housing, connected to and extending between said oxygenation fluid inlet and said oxygenating fluid outlet, whereby an oxygenating fluid may be introduced into said hollow tubes through said oxygenating fluid inlet, and circulated out of and away from said hollow tubes through said oxygenating fluid outlet;   said blood inlet connected to a chamber and from which blood diffuses directly into said first compartment along substantially the entire length of said chamber without significant collection of the blood in said chamber, and the blood being heated as it passes through said first compartment; and   said blood flow passage comprising a heat exchange path through said first compartment, said blood flow passage further comprising a central path extending along at least a portion of said central axis of said housing, said blood flow passage further comprising an oxygenating path extending generally radially through said second compartment, and around said hollow gas exchange tubes, and said central path being upstream of said oxygenating path, whereby blood flows axially along at least a portion of the central axis of said housing and then generally radially through said second compartment. .Iaddend..Iadd.36. The device of claim 35, wherein said blood outlet has a central fluid flow axis disposed in a plane substantially transverse to said central axis of said housing. .Iaddend..Iadd.37. The device of claim 35, wherein said oxygenating fluid inlet and oxygenating fluid outlet respectively comprise a gas inlet and a gas outlet. .Iaddend..Iadd.38. The device of claim 35, wherein said first and second compartments are cylindrical. .Iaddend..Iadd.39. The device of claim 35, wherein said plurality of hollow gas exchange tubes disposed in said second compartment are comprised of hollow gas exchange tubes that are spirally wound around said central axis. .Iaddend..Iadd.40. The device of claims 35 or 38 wherein said first compartment is upstream of said second compartment. .Iaddend..Iadd.41. The device of claim 35 wherein said housing is constructed and arranged and said flow passage for blood is defined such that blood flows in a vertically upward direction along at   
     
     
        least a portion of said central path. .Iaddend..Iadd.42.  A combination heat exchanger and oxygenator device comprising: a housing including first and second compartments internal to the housing, a blood inlet, a blood outlet, a heat exchange medium inlet, a heat exchange medium outlet, an oxygenating fluid inlet and an oxygenating fluid outlet, said housing having a central axis, said second compartment being concentric to said axis;   a blood flow passage entirely internal to said housing extending through said housing from said blood inlet to said blood outlet;   a heat exchange medium flow passage connected to and extending from said heat exchange medium inlet to said heat exchange medium outlet;   an oxygenating fluid flow passage connected to and extending from said oxygenating fluid inlet to said oxygenating fluid outlet;   a plurality of hollow gas exchange tubes disposed in said second compartment; and   said blood flow passage comprising a heat exchange path through said first compartment, said blood flow passage further comprising a central path extending along at least a portion of said central axis of said housing, said blood flow passage further comprising an oxygenating path extending generally radially through said second compartment, and around said hollow gas exchange tubes, said central path being upstream of said oxygenating path, whereby blood flows axially along at least a portion of the central axis of said housing and then generally radially through said second compartment. .Iaddend..Iadd.43. The device of claim 42, wherein said blood outlet has a central fluid flow axis disposed in a plane substantially   
     
     
        transverse to said central axis of said housing. .Iaddend..Iadd.44.  The device of claim 42, wherein said oxygenating fluid inlet and oxygenating fluid outlet respectively comprise a gas inlet and a gas outlet. .Iaddend..Iadd.45. The device of claim 42, wherein said first and second compartments are cylindrical. .Iaddend..Iadd.46. The device of claim 42 wherein said plurality of hollow gas exchange tubes disposed in said second compartment are comprised of hollow gas exchange tubes that are spirally wound around said central axis. .Iaddend..Iadd.47. The device of claims 42 or 45 wherein said first compartment is upstream of said second compartment. .Iaddend..Iadd.48. The device of claim 42 wherein said housing is constructed and arranged and said flow passage for blood is defined such that blood flows in a vertically upward direction along at least a portion of said central path. .Iaddend.